Iowa State’s greek system will have one less fraternity next fall when the Sigma Nu chapter will no longer be active.

The news came to members of the fraternity this spring when financial problems, low membership and lack of support from the national fraternity combined to bring the chapter to a close.

“We tried to keep things quiet at first because [the house] had different reasons for closing than what happened three years ago,” said Jeff Irvin, senior in biology and fraternity president.

After losing its charter in October 1995, Sigma Nu, 2132 Sunset Dr., went “dry” to regain national support. Several active members worked with the national organization in an effort to recruit members and start over again, Irvin said.

However, Sigma Nu’s recent troubles stemmed strictly from low membership and the strong financial need rather than social problems.

Sigma Nu members were often paying money for house needs and activities out of their own pockets, instead of collective fraternity funds.

“I was the Greek Week co-chair, and this year I had no budget to work with. It was really hard having to raise money from members when there were many other financial needs,” said Andy Schulz, junior in metallurgical engineering.

Irvin said the financial strain, as well as the fact that Sigma Nu was a dry house, contributed to the problem of low membership.

“We had a strict rule that if a member was caught with alcohol, they had two weeks to leave,” Irvin said. “Also, the house was really in need of repair, from faulty electric wires to a delayed fire system. It’s easy to see why it was hard to get numbers up.”

“Thirty-five was the magic number that nationals wanted us to have for membership,” Irvin said. “At closing, we had only 23.”

Schulz said several dry fraternities have had problems with numbers.

“[The Sigma Nu closing] shows troubles in the greek system in general, since numbers are low for many fraternities, and then those that are dry are closing,” he said.

With other national fraternities pushing to become alcohol-free in the near future, closings of dry houses may halt the goal, Schulz said.

Alpha Sigma Phi and Farmhouse are the only remaining dry fraternities on the ISU campus.

In 1906, Sigma Nu became the first fraternity built at ISU.

The actual house is owned by Sigma Nu Nationals, and members do not know what nationals plans to do with the property.

Sigma Nu members chose to join other fraternities or move off-campus. The national fraternity will not accept members’ requests for alumni status, Irvin said.

Sigma Nu members may try to rebuild the chapter with an out-of-house effort to recruit new Rushees.

“It’s too bad that everybody worked so hard, yet it didn’t turn out right,” Irvin said.

“I love the size of this house; we were all a very tight-knit group, especially after everything we’ve been through to keep the house going,” Irvin said.